Ch. 16
In the Face of Faith
To say Squall was nervous on the train ride to Timber would be a huge understatement, he was actually so nervous he was on the verge of collapsing. His heart was beating unbearable fast and he tingled from head to toes. However, the bottom line was Squall was going to do this. He wasn't going to hide from it any longer. Squall was going to tell Emma how he felt.
The train eventually pulled to a halt at the Timber train station. Squall quickly got off the vehicle and made his way through the station. As he was walking he sensed something was off. From first appearances it looked completely normal, but as Squall took a deeper look he knew that something just wasn't right.
His pace quickened, and he was just about out of the train station when he felt a fierce pair of hands grab him.
"You're not from around here. Who the hell are you!?"
"Get the hell off me!" Squall yelled throwing his attackers hands off of him.
The man, who Squall soon realized was station security, grabbed his sword from his hoister.
"Tell me who you are or so help me."
Squall pulled out his own gunblade. "I'm Squall Leonhart, headmaster of Balamb garden. Now tell me what the hell is going on here?"
"By Shiva, you are Leonhart aren't you?"
Squall was starting to get impatient, and annoyed. "Tell me what's going on, or I'll make sure you never tell a living soul anything ever again." He threatened the guard.
The security guard gave into a helpless gulp.
"A whole lot of Galbadian rebels came here dressed as regular citizens, then without any notice they attacked the city bringing down all our new buildings and terrorizing the people and their homes."
Squall didn't waste another moment with the security guard. He ran with everything he had to Emma's place. Ignoring the destruction around him Squall was set on only one thing-getting to Emma.
When he finally reached her house Squall felt his heart drop from his chest to the bottom of the earth. Emma's house was in shambles, the windows no longer existed; all that remained were shreds of broken glass. Dents from what must have been something no softer then a rock covered the whole front of the house. In the right lower part of the house next to a patch of weeds was blood smeared all along the base. The door, which was hanging slightly open, had splinters of wood pointing out from every angle. It scared Squall that he could hear no noise coming from the inside. He walked inside hoping against hope that everything would be okay.like always hope was a waste.
The inside was nothing more then broken objects lying sporadically all over the floor. He couldn't find one thing intact.
"Emma!" He called out knowing the pointlessness of it, but still trying anyway.
"What are YOU doing here?" A voiced asked. It wasn't Emma's.
Squall turned around and saw Zone step into the house joining him in the broken kitchen. Squall ran to him.
"What happened here!? Where's Emma!? Is she alright!?"
Zone looked at Squall coldly; his voice was calm and eerie. "Funny how you're always there when it's too late, wouldn't you say Mr. Leonhart?"
Squall looked at Zone incredulously. He didn't have time for these games. His only concern at the moment was Emma.
"Zone, will you please tell me where Emma is?" He bagged.
"She was taken by the Galbadian rebels." Zone told him
Squall swaggered back a couple steps, the news stabbed his heart. Meanwhile Zone continued to explain.
"She didn't even fight back; she just let them take her. Watts and I tried to stop them, but dammit." Zone stopped there. Squall looked at him anxiously.
"Why didn't you contact me?" Squall demanded.
"We thought it would be for the best if we didn't," Zone snarled. "After all staying away form her was what you wanted wasn't it?"
Squall couldn't believe what Zone was saying. "I.I didn't mean it like that." He tried to explain to the one time resistance leader.
"Could have fooled her. You know Squall they always seem to fall for you. Beats me why, but in the end they always end up alone. You're nothing more then a coward Squall Leonhart, a coward behind a SeeD uniform. You fight hundreds of battle and take care of thousands of strangers, but you can never take care of the ones that really care about you."
Zone had done it, he had passed Squall's threshold. In one emotional movement Squall pins Zone against the wall.
"I love Emma." Squall said out loud for the first time, the words not even startling him. "I've made some major mistakes, but by the gods I'll spend the rest of my life making immense."
Zone, still being held against the wall stares Squall straight in the eyes. "Prove it, get her back." He snapped at him.
Squall let's go of Zone watching him fall to the ground.
"I will." He tells the long time revolutionary then sticks down his hand offering to help Zone back up. "But I'll need your help."
Zone grabs onto Squall's hand. "And you'll always have it."
With nothing else said or done the two men got started. Squall was going to get back Emma; he was never as determined as he was in that solitary fact.
Shortly after his conversation with Zone Squall called Quistis, Seifer, Zell, Selphie and Irvine, he asked them to come to Timber immediately. He didn't go over any details with them all he said was it was important, and for them he knew that be enough.
A few hours later everyone was gathered at Chief Fox's upstairs meeting room-luckily it hadn't been destroyed by the rebels. There Squall went over the situation with Zone filling in the gaps that Squall missed.
"Emma was taken by the Galbadian rebels." Everyone gasped, but Squall paid no attention. "I've spoken to President Caraway and he says they had probably taken her to their hideout which he presumes is in the underground tunnels of the city."
At that moment Seifer speaks up. "I know those tunnels like the back of my hand. I spent a lot of time there before I came back to the garden. If they have a hideout there I'll find it."
Squall gives Seifer a nod of acknowledgment before continuing. "President Caraway has given me free disposal of his reinforcements."
"As has Timber." Zone added.
Squall nods at Zone. "As had Timber, but I have declined both those offers."
Everyone at the same time stared opened mouthed at Squall, all giving him looks as if he was crazy, he knew they would. With a heavy sigh Squall explained.
"With the war for Timber's independence just getting over I refuse to ask for there help. I won't see anymore blood shed at my command. I'm going into those tunnels alone, but I will ask you guys, my friends, if you can find it within yourselves to please join me. Please don't feel like your obliged, I haven't done anything to earn your friendship, and if you walked away right now I wouldn't hold it against you. I'm just asking you guys as one broken soul. Will you help me?"
Everyone was silent their eyes not leaving his own. Squall stood there tensely as he awaited their answer. It was Quistis who was the first to stand up and give him one.
"Squall, if you have one fault it would be your lack of faith. I think I speak for all of us when I say we follow you to the end of the earth. You never have to tell us to go all you have to say is when."
Squall looked at each of his friends everyone as eager as the next. "How about now," he told them.
Within twenty minutes everyone was ready to go. They took a train to Deling city and once within the city Seifer spoke of there being a lot of entries, but only a few that would for sure avoid immediate commotion.
They ended up taking a latter down that was hidden in one of the alley ways. At the bottom there was nothing, but pure darkness. Seifer tapped Squall on the shoulder scaring him half to death. In a train like fashion, with Seifer in the lead, Quistis, Zell, Selphie, Irvine, Zone, Watts and himself all began to descend into the darkness.
For a long time it was just darkness and silence. When they finally reached a trace of light everyone got excited, but Seifer calmed them down.
"We have to be ready now for anything. Everyone have their weapons out."
Squall for one was holding onto his gunblade tightly. He wanted so desperately to run through the tunnels calling out Emma's name, but he knew that action would be fatal. So with much restraint Squall continued to walk slowly behind Seifer.
As they walked the light got brighter until everything and everyone were viewable again.
They had come to a clearing that was a dead end, except for one door to the right. Without any other options presenting themselves the eight of them opened the door and walked through.
They walked into a dark room and had only taken a couple steps when they began to hear voices. They were coming from the other side of the wall at the other end of the room. Squall along with the others leaned against the wall to listen.
"Commander the girl, she still won't talk. Are you absolutely sure she was head of the Timber liberation.she doesn't seem like the type."
They heard a crisp smack of someone being hit across the face, and then the loud thud of somebody's body hitting the floor.
"Imbecile, of course I'm sure! Don't ever question my authority!" echoed a malicious voice. "As for the girl," the voice continued. "There a plenty harsher ways of making her talk."
Squall cringed.
"What should the troops be doing?" Another voice asked. "They've been quite bored since out attack on Timber."
"Tell them to be patient. There will be a major battle ahead I assure them."
The voices grew quiet and Squall had to strain his ears to make out what they were saying. Nothing was clear until the sinister voice yelled out.
"I think I'll pay the girl a visit myself. If anything I might get a little enjoyment out of it."
Squall couldn't take that. Against the restraint of the others he threw open the door and plunged into the room with his gunblade raised.
It wasn't one of his brightest ideas, but his heart was leading him now. Whenever that occurred there was nothing to do to stop it.
Squall found himself in a gigantic room. Easily three times the size of the garden's quad. Quickly scanning the permanence Squall saw only three men in front of him, and with the others now on his side there was nothing preventing Squall from overtaking them.
"Where's Emma!?" Squall yelled out to them.
Two of the men were quivering as Squall screamed at them, but one stood there confidently. His eyes were cold and collective, and his stare.it was nothing short of pure evil. He ran a hand through his slick black hair, and when he spoke it was nothing more then a drawl.
"So the girl has a name, how lovely."
Squall felt his chest tighten, and his temper flare.
"Where is she?" He asked angrily.
"Oh around, but before you go any further may I ask who you are and why I have the pleasure of your company at this moment?"
"It doesn't matter who I am all you need to know is that I've come to take Emma."
"Well your right about one thing." The man told him as the room filled with rebels. "It doesn't matter who you are because in matter of minutes you'll be dead."
Like a clash of lightening the rebels attacked. It was eight on a hundred; Squall was striking his gunblade at three rebels at a time. He had just pulled back his gunblade from a rebel's body when he heard Seifer call out to him.
"Go get Emma Squall!"
"No!" Squall screamed back. "I'm not leaving you guys."
"Go Squall, or it's all to waste-everything will be." called out Quistis, her voice always being the sound of reason.
Squall watched his friends everyone risking their life for him, or for his well being. He felt his heart swell with love for his friends. Without wasting another moment Squall ran out of the large room whispering the words "take care," to the wind that was behind him.
Outside the large room was a short hallway that ended with a door. Without a moments hesitation Squall stepped into the room.
Chained to the wall hung Emma. Squall ran desperately towards her. Her face was pale and a thin line of blood ran down the side of her face. Emma's eyes where closed, Squall automatically put his head against her heart fearing the absolute worst. Thank the guardians she was still alive.
Squall called out her name while gently stroking her hair.
Slowly, as if for the first time, Emma's eyes fluttered open. She took a moment to focus then was looking straight at him her eyes now wide with surprise.
Squall with two clean swipes of his gunblade broke the chains that held her. Emma collapsed into Squall who held her tightly. With a slight release Squall looked at Emma physically unable to look away. Still a bit puzzled Emma asked him.
"Sq.Squall what are you doing here?" Her voice was shaky, but the relief couldn't be mistaken.
"I came for you, I.I don't think I can go on without you Emma. I'm sorry for being so horrible to you, but I swear I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."
Squall expected some hesitation on her part. Something like 'I don't know,' or 'I need time.' Instead Emma smiled that sweet, innocent smile of hers that Squall just loved, and said to him.
"You're crying Squall."
And indeed he was. Tears from so many emotions where falling down from his eyes and washing against his cheeks.
"Emma I"- but before he could get out the rest Emma's eyes went big.
"Squall, watch out!" She screamed.
Squall moved them both just in the knick of time as a blade came slicing down at them. Squall felt it graze his right arm.
He bit his lip in pain and looked up at the striker. A nasty, hideous grin was glowing on him.
"You didn't think I let you leave with the heroine did you?" snarled the man from the large room just moment before.
"What the hell do you want with her?" Squall screamed at the sinister man in front of him.
"Oh you know the usual, beat her, make love to her and then eventually kill her, but mostly revenge."
Squall never felt such anger in his life, somehow restraining himself he continued to listen to this mad man.
"Galbadia was an incredible country, an awesome power to be dealt with, but after she and the people just like her our nation had been driven down to nothing better then a farm country. People like her and President Caraway deserve to die so does anyone else who stands in 'true' Galbadia's way."
The man's eyes were now mad with fiery, and his blade was unforgettably pointed aggressively at them.
Forgetting his own pain he looked at Emma. "I'll take care of this," he whispered to her. Emma's eyes at that moment were paralyzed with fear, but he realized then that it wasn't out of her own safety, but for his. He quickly kissed her on the top of her forehead then grabs his gunblade and pointed it at his opponent.
"Well if you want to kill all that stand in your way you better start with me. I've probably been one of your biggest pains in the ass."
The man glares at him. "Who 'are' you?"
"I'm Squall Leonhart, headmaster of Balamb garden, friend of great people, and in love the woman right there." Squall declared while pointing at Emma not daring to look at her.
The man's eyes light up with a mad anger. "Then your right once again Mr. Leonhart, my revenge does start with you."
The man threw a strike at Squall fiercely; Squall was barely able to defend it. The man released blow after blow only giving Squall the chance to reflect them and nothing else. Squall quickly realized that this man was well skilled and he wondered where he had learned such skills.
After awhile Squall began to get tired. The man was relentless, his strikes where getting closer and closer to connecting with something other then steel.
It might have only been by chance, a fluke, or maybe the work of the great guardians. Either way when Squall was just on his last drops of energy he saw a quick, brief and risky opening, and he took it.
He felt his gunblade collide with his opponent's skin and go right through his body, but that's not all he felt. As his gunblade penetrated the man's body his own sword penetrated Squall's catching him in the left shoulder.
Squall fell to the ground hearing his gunblade fall next to him. His sight started to play with darkness. From what seemed far away he heard Emma crying. He felt warm tears drop to his face and for one moment, one glorious moment, he saw Emma. Her face plagued with dread, but there it was as beautiful as ever.
Loosing the war inside of him Squall's eyes closed and there was nothing more then the complete loneliness of darkness.
In the Face of Faith
To say Squall was nervous on the train ride to Timber would be a huge understatement, he was actually so nervous he was on the verge of collapsing. His heart was beating unbearable fast and he tingled from head to toes. However, the bottom line was Squall was going to do this. He wasn't going to hide from it any longer. Squall was going to tell Emma how he felt.
The train eventually pulled to a halt at the Timber train station. Squall quickly got off the vehicle and made his way through the station. As he was walking he sensed something was off. From first appearances it looked completely normal, but as Squall took a deeper look he knew that something just wasn't right.
His pace quickened, and he was just about out of the train station when he felt a fierce pair of hands grab him.
"You're not from around here. Who the hell are you!?"
"Get the hell off me!" Squall yelled throwing his attackers hands off of him.
The man, who Squall soon realized was station security, grabbed his sword from his hoister.
"Tell me who you are or so help me."
Squall pulled out his own gunblade. "I'm Squall Leonhart, headmaster of Balamb garden. Now tell me what the hell is going on here?"
"By Shiva, you are Leonhart aren't you?"
Squall was starting to get impatient, and annoyed. "Tell me what's going on, or I'll make sure you never tell a living soul anything ever again." He threatened the guard.
The security guard gave into a helpless gulp.
"A whole lot of Galbadian rebels came here dressed as regular citizens, then without any notice they attacked the city bringing down all our new buildings and terrorizing the people and their homes."
Squall didn't waste another moment with the security guard. He ran with everything he had to Emma's place. Ignoring the destruction around him Squall was set on only one thing-getting to Emma.
When he finally reached her house Squall felt his heart drop from his chest to the bottom of the earth. Emma's house was in shambles, the windows no longer existed; all that remained were shreds of broken glass. Dents from what must have been something no softer then a rock covered the whole front of the house. In the right lower part of the house next to a patch of weeds was blood smeared all along the base. The door, which was hanging slightly open, had splinters of wood pointing out from every angle. It scared Squall that he could hear no noise coming from the inside. He walked inside hoping against hope that everything would be okay.like always hope was a waste.
The inside was nothing more then broken objects lying sporadically all over the floor. He couldn't find one thing intact.
"Emma!" He called out knowing the pointlessness of it, but still trying anyway.
"What are YOU doing here?" A voiced asked. It wasn't Emma's.
Squall turned around and saw Zone step into the house joining him in the broken kitchen. Squall ran to him.
"What happened here!? Where's Emma!? Is she alright!?"
Zone looked at Squall coldly; his voice was calm and eerie. "Funny how you're always there when it's too late, wouldn't you say Mr. Leonhart?"
Squall looked at Zone incredulously. He didn't have time for these games. His only concern at the moment was Emma.
"Zone, will you please tell me where Emma is?" He bagged.
"She was taken by the Galbadian rebels." Zone told him
Squall swaggered back a couple steps, the news stabbed his heart. Meanwhile Zone continued to explain.
"She didn't even fight back; she just let them take her. Watts and I tried to stop them, but dammit." Zone stopped there. Squall looked at him anxiously.
"Why didn't you contact me?" Squall demanded.
"We thought it would be for the best if we didn't," Zone snarled. "After all staying away form her was what you wanted wasn't it?"
Squall couldn't believe what Zone was saying. "I.I didn't mean it like that." He tried to explain to the one time resistance leader.
"Could have fooled her. You know Squall they always seem to fall for you. Beats me why, but in the end they always end up alone. You're nothing more then a coward Squall Leonhart, a coward behind a SeeD uniform. You fight hundreds of battle and take care of thousands of strangers, but you can never take care of the ones that really care about you."
Zone had done it, he had passed Squall's threshold. In one emotional movement Squall pins Zone against the wall.
"I love Emma." Squall said out loud for the first time, the words not even startling him. "I've made some major mistakes, but by the gods I'll spend the rest of my life making immense."
Zone, still being held against the wall stares Squall straight in the eyes. "Prove it, get her back." He snapped at him.
Squall let's go of Zone watching him fall to the ground.
"I will." He tells the long time revolutionary then sticks down his hand offering to help Zone back up. "But I'll need your help."
Zone grabs onto Squall's hand. "And you'll always have it."
With nothing else said or done the two men got started. Squall was going to get back Emma; he was never as determined as he was in that solitary fact.
Shortly after his conversation with Zone Squall called Quistis, Seifer, Zell, Selphie and Irvine, he asked them to come to Timber immediately. He didn't go over any details with them all he said was it was important, and for them he knew that be enough.
A few hours later everyone was gathered at Chief Fox's upstairs meeting room-luckily it hadn't been destroyed by the rebels. There Squall went over the situation with Zone filling in the gaps that Squall missed.
"Emma was taken by the Galbadian rebels." Everyone gasped, but Squall paid no attention. "I've spoken to President Caraway and he says they had probably taken her to their hideout which he presumes is in the underground tunnels of the city."
At that moment Seifer speaks up. "I know those tunnels like the back of my hand. I spent a lot of time there before I came back to the garden. If they have a hideout there I'll find it."
Squall gives Seifer a nod of acknowledgment before continuing. "President Caraway has given me free disposal of his reinforcements."
"As has Timber." Zone added.
Squall nods at Zone. "As had Timber, but I have declined both those offers."
Everyone at the same time stared opened mouthed at Squall, all giving him looks as if he was crazy, he knew they would. With a heavy sigh Squall explained.
"With the war for Timber's independence just getting over I refuse to ask for there help. I won't see anymore blood shed at my command. I'm going into those tunnels alone, but I will ask you guys, my friends, if you can find it within yourselves to please join me. Please don't feel like your obliged, I haven't done anything to earn your friendship, and if you walked away right now I wouldn't hold it against you. I'm just asking you guys as one broken soul. Will you help me?"
Everyone was silent their eyes not leaving his own. Squall stood there tensely as he awaited their answer. It was Quistis who was the first to stand up and give him one.
"Squall, if you have one fault it would be your lack of faith. I think I speak for all of us when I say we follow you to the end of the earth. You never have to tell us to go all you have to say is when."
Squall looked at each of his friends everyone as eager as the next. "How about now," he told them.
Within twenty minutes everyone was ready to go. They took a train to Deling city and once within the city Seifer spoke of there being a lot of entries, but only a few that would for sure avoid immediate commotion.
They ended up taking a latter down that was hidden in one of the alley ways. At the bottom there was nothing, but pure darkness. Seifer tapped Squall on the shoulder scaring him half to death. In a train like fashion, with Seifer in the lead, Quistis, Zell, Selphie, Irvine, Zone, Watts and himself all began to descend into the darkness.
For a long time it was just darkness and silence. When they finally reached a trace of light everyone got excited, but Seifer calmed them down.
"We have to be ready now for anything. Everyone have their weapons out."
Squall for one was holding onto his gunblade tightly. He wanted so desperately to run through the tunnels calling out Emma's name, but he knew that action would be fatal. So with much restraint Squall continued to walk slowly behind Seifer.
As they walked the light got brighter until everything and everyone were viewable again.
They had come to a clearing that was a dead end, except for one door to the right. Without any other options presenting themselves the eight of them opened the door and walked through.
They walked into a dark room and had only taken a couple steps when they began to hear voices. They were coming from the other side of the wall at the other end of the room. Squall along with the others leaned against the wall to listen.
"Commander the girl, she still won't talk. Are you absolutely sure she was head of the Timber liberation.she doesn't seem like the type."
They heard a crisp smack of someone being hit across the face, and then the loud thud of somebody's body hitting the floor.
"Imbecile, of course I'm sure! Don't ever question my authority!" echoed a malicious voice. "As for the girl," the voice continued. "There a plenty harsher ways of making her talk."
Squall cringed.
"What should the troops be doing?" Another voice asked. "They've been quite bored since out attack on Timber."
"Tell them to be patient. There will be a major battle ahead I assure them."
The voices grew quiet and Squall had to strain his ears to make out what they were saying. Nothing was clear until the sinister voice yelled out.
"I think I'll pay the girl a visit myself. If anything I might get a little enjoyment out of it."
Squall couldn't take that. Against the restraint of the others he threw open the door and plunged into the room with his gunblade raised.
It wasn't one of his brightest ideas, but his heart was leading him now. Whenever that occurred there was nothing to do to stop it.
Squall found himself in a gigantic room. Easily three times the size of the garden's quad. Quickly scanning the permanence Squall saw only three men in front of him, and with the others now on his side there was nothing preventing Squall from overtaking them.
"Where's Emma!?" Squall yelled out to them.
Two of the men were quivering as Squall screamed at them, but one stood there confidently. His eyes were cold and collective, and his stare.it was nothing short of pure evil. He ran a hand through his slick black hair, and when he spoke it was nothing more then a drawl.
"So the girl has a name, how lovely."
Squall felt his chest tighten, and his temper flare.
"Where is she?" He asked angrily.
"Oh around, but before you go any further may I ask who you are and why I have the pleasure of your company at this moment?"
"It doesn't matter who I am all you need to know is that I've come to take Emma."
"Well your right about one thing." The man told him as the room filled with rebels. "It doesn't matter who you are because in matter of minutes you'll be dead."
Like a clash of lightening the rebels attacked. It was eight on a hundred; Squall was striking his gunblade at three rebels at a time. He had just pulled back his gunblade from a rebel's body when he heard Seifer call out to him.
"Go get Emma Squall!"
"No!" Squall screamed back. "I'm not leaving you guys."
"Go Squall, or it's all to waste-everything will be." called out Quistis, her voice always being the sound of reason.
Squall watched his friends everyone risking their life for him, or for his well being. He felt his heart swell with love for his friends. Without wasting another moment Squall ran out of the large room whispering the words "take care," to the wind that was behind him.
Outside the large room was a short hallway that ended with a door. Without a moments hesitation Squall stepped into the room.
Chained to the wall hung Emma. Squall ran desperately towards her. Her face was pale and a thin line of blood ran down the side of her face. Emma's eyes where closed, Squall automatically put his head against her heart fearing the absolute worst. Thank the guardians she was still alive.
Squall called out her name while gently stroking her hair.
Slowly, as if for the first time, Emma's eyes fluttered open. She took a moment to focus then was looking straight at him her eyes now wide with surprise.
Squall with two clean swipes of his gunblade broke the chains that held her. Emma collapsed into Squall who held her tightly. With a slight release Squall looked at Emma physically unable to look away. Still a bit puzzled Emma asked him.
"Sq.Squall what are you doing here?" Her voice was shaky, but the relief couldn't be mistaken.
"I came for you, I.I don't think I can go on without you Emma. I'm sorry for being so horrible to you, but I swear I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."
Squall expected some hesitation on her part. Something like 'I don't know,' or 'I need time.' Instead Emma smiled that sweet, innocent smile of hers that Squall just loved, and said to him.
"You're crying Squall."
And indeed he was. Tears from so many emotions where falling down from his eyes and washing against his cheeks.
"Emma I"- but before he could get out the rest Emma's eyes went big.
"Squall, watch out!" She screamed.
Squall moved them both just in the knick of time as a blade came slicing down at them. Squall felt it graze his right arm.
He bit his lip in pain and looked up at the striker. A nasty, hideous grin was glowing on him.
"You didn't think I let you leave with the heroine did you?" snarled the man from the large room just moment before.
"What the hell do you want with her?" Squall screamed at the sinister man in front of him.
"Oh you know the usual, beat her, make love to her and then eventually kill her, but mostly revenge."
Squall never felt such anger in his life, somehow restraining himself he continued to listen to this mad man.
"Galbadia was an incredible country, an awesome power to be dealt with, but after she and the people just like her our nation had been driven down to nothing better then a farm country. People like her and President Caraway deserve to die so does anyone else who stands in 'true' Galbadia's way."
The man's eyes were now mad with fiery, and his blade was unforgettably pointed aggressively at them.
Forgetting his own pain he looked at Emma. "I'll take care of this," he whispered to her. Emma's eyes at that moment were paralyzed with fear, but he realized then that it wasn't out of her own safety, but for his. He quickly kissed her on the top of her forehead then grabs his gunblade and pointed it at his opponent.
"Well if you want to kill all that stand in your way you better start with me. I've probably been one of your biggest pains in the ass."
The man glares at him. "Who 'are' you?"
"I'm Squall Leonhart, headmaster of Balamb garden, friend of great people, and in love the woman right there." Squall declared while pointing at Emma not daring to look at her.
The man's eyes light up with a mad anger. "Then your right once again Mr. Leonhart, my revenge does start with you."
The man threw a strike at Squall fiercely; Squall was barely able to defend it. The man released blow after blow only giving Squall the chance to reflect them and nothing else. Squall quickly realized that this man was well skilled and he wondered where he had learned such skills.
After awhile Squall began to get tired. The man was relentless, his strikes where getting closer and closer to connecting with something other then steel.
It might have only been by chance, a fluke, or maybe the work of the great guardians. Either way when Squall was just on his last drops of energy he saw a quick, brief and risky opening, and he took it.
He felt his gunblade collide with his opponent's skin and go right through his body, but that's not all he felt. As his gunblade penetrated the man's body his own sword penetrated Squall's catching him in the left shoulder.
Squall fell to the ground hearing his gunblade fall next to him. His sight started to play with darkness. From what seemed far away he heard Emma crying. He felt warm tears drop to his face and for one moment, one glorious moment, he saw Emma. Her face plagued with dread, but there it was as beautiful as ever.
Loosing the war inside of him Squall's eyes closed and there was nothing more then the complete loneliness of darkness.